Category: CELEBRATIONS

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My Christmas card is almost always sent AFTER Christmas. It is more of a New Year’s card. I guess this is partly due to procrastination, partly to the lack of a nice family photo, and because I use this as a tiny yearly journal of our family’s activities, I like to wait until the last tiny bit of our year has been spent. 🙂 This year’s card had a little God moment that I wanted to share.

Thanksgiving is almost here! I have a fantastic trail mix recipe that is perfect for munching on while you are waiting for the turkey or during the big game. This recipe has been in my collection since my Bunco days. (Does anyone still play?) One of my Bunco buddies would set a bowl of this at each table in some adorable way. It is salty and sweet and ridiculously addicting…..not exactly healthy, but hey, it does have peanuts! 🙂

I absolutely love this dresser. It holds special memories. When I was expecting our first child 20 years ago (GASP!!), I found this gem for our nursery at a second-hand store. Let me tell you….it was ugly. I honestly have forgotten exactly what it looked like, but I remember taking it to my dad to restore. He always has vision, but he said, “Karen, I don’t think there is much we can do with this one.” He and I were both delighted when we saw the beauty of the wood come alive with a little love. It has been through three kiddos holding onesies and receiving blankets, then big kid jeans and t-shirts. Now it sits right at the top of our stairs and houses….GIFT WRAP. 🙂

The gorgeous scissors and the tape dispenser were Target finds. I used to run around the house looking for scissors and tape. That was silly! Now they are at the ready, and they look beautiful. Of course if you have little ones, you will need to find a safer spot for them!

I always save gift bags and tissue that hasn’t been destroyed. I pick up rolls of gift wrap and ribbon when they are on sale or if I totally fall in love with some. BTW…T.J. Maxx and Marshalls always have DARLING rolls of wrap! I also like to save silk flowers, buttons, jingle bells and other little treasures for that little extra touch. I have plenty of room for all of that in this dresser!

Organized Drawers

I took an hour or two this summer to organize all of my drawers full of supplies. Now if I can just keep them that way!!!!

The bottom dresser drawer holds gift bags and flattened boxes of all sizes.

Rolls of gift wrap fit perfectly in the next drawer up with room to spare!

That extra space holds folded pieces of fun tissue paper.

Rolls of ribbon and twine and raffia fill this one along with a few take-out boxes.

All of my ribbon scraps fit in this little drawer. They come in very handy!

This little drawer holds cello and drawstring bags and tags.

This one holds some of my favorites…small flowers and embellishments for topping a gift!

Well, that was my little “tour” of my gift wrap dresser. I know I have mentioned it before, but gift wrapping is one of my favorite things in the world to do! How do you store your gift wrap supplies?

By posting on Tuesday instead of Saturday last week, I feel as though I haven’t been in touch with y’all F.O.R.E.V.E.R. I would love to hear from you!

Shhhhh. Don’t tell Miss Hattie. I am completely spoiling her birthday gift right now, but I had SO MUCH FUN putting it together that I just had to share it. (Plus…she is only two, so I am pretty confident that she won’t read this.) 🙂 Her gift all started with a drink carrier box and one CUTE pair of shorts.

The calendar says that it is officially summer!!! Does your family enjoy playing outdoor games? We had so much fun with a couple of them this past weekend at the lake that I wanted to share our current top 5 with you (in no particular order.) 🙂 These are all small enough to throw in the car when you head to your next reunion or get together with friends. They are also all reasonably priced and readily available at either sporting good or department stores. My husband has always been known as “the entertainment coordinator” in our family. You can be sure he has something packed for fun!

“But the FRUIT of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control; against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

I have a major love affair with fruit. One of my favorite breakfasts is a waffle topped with peanut butter and colorful fresh fruit then drizzled with honey until it sparkles a bit. How could anyone doubt the existence of God at that moment? 🙂 I am also the gal who offers to bring the fruit tray to every family event. It’s a crowd favorite, folks, and healthy to boot!

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Our high school always holds our graduation ceremony on this beautiful holiday. One by one the graduates present their mothers with a single flower. I think it is a perfect gesture of love and respect for all that those mommas have done to raise up their children and send them on their way. I don’t think there is a dry eye in the gym at that moment.

Let’s talk cake! I LOVE cake! I am all about eating healthy and limiting sugar….BUT….an occasional splurge is heavenly.

I took a cake decorating class in the back recesses of Hobby Lobby YEARS ago. You should see some of the pics of my first attempts. Oh my. Sometime I may just have to pull those out for you! I have had fun learning and experimenting over time. I want to share an awesome secret with you from that class.

Here it is! My first post!! I have been thinking about and praying about this for OVER A YEAR as I planned for our first guy to leave the nest. It was such a joy to plan his graduation reception that it kept me from focusing too much on the fact that he would soon be living under another roof. Don’t get me wrong…I have had my moments, but he is already almost done with his first year of college and will be home for the summer! Momma can’t wait! I decided it was about time I shared this party with y’all. Maybe you 2018 graduate mommas can pull some last-minute inspiration from it.

HELLO! I’M KAREN

Hi there! I am thrilled that you have visited my site. I am a momma of three and have been married to my college sweetheart for over 22 years.
I believe that we are all called to give with love in even the simplest of ways...spending extra time wrapping a gift, setting a beautiful table, throwing a party, decorating our home for the seasons or filling bellies with something wonderful!Read more...